Those who claim the latter note that Approach the Stars host Franklin Barazarte doused Houchin with Aqua de Florida — a highly flammable liquid commonly used by Caribbean shamans "in healing and cleansing rituals."

Either way, the attack left Houchin with severe burns on his head, face, neck, and he remains in great pain.

On Facebook, Houchin, co-host of the the Discovery Channel's Breaking Magic, thanked the staff of Curiosidades, the TV show he went on Approach the Stars to promote, for saving his life with their quick thinking.

"I was not aware he was going to do this," Houchin wrote. "This was not a stunt or part of an act - this was a criminal attack."

They also note that some local journalists have "accused our team of practicing publicly VooDoo and Witchcraft and that the above mentioned attack was a divine justice for the nastiness of the practices of our artistic cast."

It's worth pointing out, as the New Statesman does, that Houchin has devoted his career to revealing magicians' secrets, while the show he appeared on "is described in some accounts as one specialising in astrology and other 'psychic' matters."

Meanwhile, no word yet on what has become of Barazarte or whether he will be charged with a crime.